


In Vino Veritas

by vogue91



Category: Arashi (Band), Johnny's Entertainment
Genre: Drunkenness, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 01:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14274423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vogue91/pseuds/vogue91
Summary: Aiba bit his lip while he drove, nervous.It didn’t bother him having to go out in a rush, nor he had trouble driving through the traffic at that time.What concerned him was that it was Jun.





	In Vino Veritas

“Hi?”

“Aiba-chan? It’s me.” Aiba heard Sho’s voice, and he automatically smiled.

“Sho-chan! What is it? I thought you had to shoot till late tonight.” he said, cheerful. On the other side of the phone there was a moment of silence, followed by Sho’s hesitating voice.

“Yes, actually I do. And actually, I’ve got a small favour to ask.” he said, less and less confident.

“Of course! What?”

“Well... it’s about Jun.”

 

~

 

Aiba wasn’t sure about it.

At all.

From what he could remember, I had happened a lot of times for Sho to go pick him and Nino up from some bar, because they were too drunk to drive.

It had happened to go and pick up Ohno, and it had also happened to Sho to drink a little too much.

But _never_ one of them had found himself in this kind of situation with him.

Aiba bit his lip while he drove, nervous.

It didn’t bother him having to go out in a rush, nor he had trouble driving through the traffic at that time.

What concerned him was that it was _Jun_.

He loved him. Really. Like he loved all the others.

It was just that... he had like the feeling that his behaviour often bothered the younger, even though he didn’t openly show it.

All in all, he found Matsumoto to be very confusing.

Hence his anxiety to the perspective of being with a drunk Jun, a Jun who had called Sho to go pick him up, not him.

Arrived to the club and parked his car, Aiba got down.

Slowly.

Too slowly, which showed what little desire he had to find Jun.

He took a deep breath and went to the entrance, telling himself that, whether he liked it or not, he still was his friend, and that if he needed a hand he wasn’t going to be the one to refuse to help.

He found him at a table far from the entrance, in the semi-darkness of the club.

He held his head in his hand, as if he couldn’t keep it straight, and in the other he had a glass that, judging by the colour, was filled with rum.

“Matsujun.” he called, to get his attention. The younger raised his eyes and squinted, as to focus on the shape in front of him.

“Aiba-kun!” he said in the end, loud. “Where’s Sho?” he asked then, confused. Aiba bit his lip and sighed.

“Sho-chan was still on set, and he asked me if I could come instead.” he explained, little soothed by the disappointment on the other man’s face.

“Damn it.” he hissed. “I’m sorry.” he blabbed then, staring at the glass in his hand, as if wondering who had put it there.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem.” Aiba smiled one of his best smiles and got closer. “I’m taking you back home, alright?” Jun nodded briefly, then tried to stand up, realizing he wasn’t going to make it on his own.

“Well... I...” Aiba shook his head, passing an arm around his waist and helping him up.

One way or another, they got out, and Aiba stopped to give Jun a chance to breath some fresh air.

He was damn pale.

“Can you make it inside the car?” he asked, and Jun nodded, even though he didn’t look much confident at all, and climbed on the passenger seat.

Once inside, Aiba rolled all the windows down, not bothered by the cold air getting inside the car, thinking it would’ve helped Matsumoto.

He wanted to talk to him, but he had enough common sense to wait until they had been home.

Making him open his mouth while they were in the car didn’t seem wise at all.

“We’re here.” he said, opening his car door.

Jun groaned, leaning toward the sidewalk.

“I’m nauseous.” he murmured, feebly. Aiba cursed, then put a hand over his shoulder.

“Come on, Jun-chan, one last effort, we’re almost there.” he asked, begging almost. With some trouble, he managed to prop him up, and they went together to the hall.

Once inside the apartment, Aiba seemed relieved. He helped him taking his jacket off and then he took him to the bathroom, while he became more and more of a dead weight.

“Aiba-chan...” he murmured, once he was kneeling on the cold floor. Aiba held his breath, then got closer. “Would... would you help?”

The elder almost felt like smiling, before realizing the context didn’t really call for it.

Matsumoto Jun, pride himself, asking for help.

It was definitely new, and he was surprised at how he still managed to look annoyed that he had to, even in his state.

He stayed there with him, lacking any particular use, but feeling like his only presence was of some help.

It took a while before Jun raised his head again, collapsing against the wall. Aiba sat next to him, staring in front of him.

“Thanks.” the younger whispered, embarrassed. The other man smiled, shaking his head.

“Don’t mention it.” he sighed and bit his lip, before going on. “So... what happened?” he asked, low, almost afraid to annoy him.

But he couldn’t stop his curiosity. Jun didn’t drink often, and if he did it was always with someone else. And, for sure, he didn’t end up like that.

Aiba had always thought it was owed to his need of always be in control.

Jun closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them back, Masaki thought they looked watery.

“I... nothing happened. I felt like drinking, that’s all.” he replied, likely realizing himself how little convincing it sounded.

Aiba didn’t say anything else. He tilted his head, looking him in the eyes.

And there Jun made an exasperated sound and started talking again.

“I didn’t want to think.” he added, twisting his fingers.

“To what?” he didn’t give up, he didn’t want to. Because he thought that venting would’ve done him some good and because he would’ve liked for him to open up, for once.

It was a new feeling. He was the one used to drinking, laughing and crying when he was drunk with Nino, Sho or Ohno.

Being on the other side wasn’t nearly as easy as he would’ve expected, and yet it made him feel... important. Useful.

“Ohno.” the other whispered, catching Aiba off guard.

He brought an arm around his shoulders, slowly brushing his arm. He thought about Sho, who always did that with him, almost always managing to calm him down, as if he was a child.

He wasn’t surprised at what Jun had said; but he was because he had finally found the courage to say it.

It was impossible, being so close to them, not realizing Jun felt something for Ohno. As it was impossible not to see that Ohno loved Nino, so much that Jun had never had a real chance.

He bit his lip, feeling suddenly sad for him; knowing all of this, he had still had the wrong idea that Jun was strong enough to keep standing.

A Jun in pain was something he wasn’t used to.

“I’m sorry, Jun-chan.” he murmured, while the other closed his eyes again and leant the head against the wall.

“Don’t worry. I’ve learnt to live with it.” he muttered.

Aiba felt like shaking him, telling him that pretending was useless, but he knew that it was his nature and, as debatable as it was, he needed to prove himself strong under any circumstance.

“Did you manage that?” he asked, after a few minutes.

With an almost exasperating slowness, Jun opened his eyes again and fixed them on him.

“What?” he asked.

“To stop thinking.” Aiba replied, his voice somehow muffled.

He saw him chuckle, for a moment, not at all cheerful.

“No, at all. I suppose not even alcohol helps, right?” he forced a smile, but he couldn’t help to have it turn quickly into a sigh.

“I don’t think so. Not if you have to feel sick.” he saw Jun biting down on his lip.

“So? What should I do?” he asked, the desperation all in his voice.

Aiba felt like crying. He cursed that damn empathy that made him feel so close to other people’s problems, before looking at him again, smiling.

“You know what Sho tells me, at times like this? _When the world turns its back on you, you go ahead and turn your back on it_.” he said; Jun stared at him for a moment, and then he started very slowly to smile.

“So you’re saying I have to go on?” he asked, and he would’ve grinned if he hadn’t been so tired and still so drunk.

Aiba nodded, confident.

“I know it’s not easy, but...” he blushed, lowering his eyes. “You’re not alone.” he said in the end, standing up. “Perhaps you should lay down now. In the morning you’ll likely have a headache, it would be better if you could sleep for a while.” Jun nodded, holding out his arms and getting some help to stand.

Once in his bedroom, he collapsed on his bed, hiding his face on the pillow.

It looked like he had fallen asleep already, and Aiba made it for the door.

“Are you going home?” Jun muttered all of a sudden, his voice muffled.

The elder hesitated. Then he smiled, even though the other couldn’t see him.

“No, I’m laying down on the couch. If you need something, I’m here. Goodnight.”

“Aiba-chan?”

“Yes?” there was a moment of silence, before Jun spoke again.

“Thank you.” he said, closing his eyes.

Aiba closed the door, going to the living room with the smile still on his face.

He threw himself on the couch, exhausted.

It was worth it.

Somehow, he felt closer to Jun than he had during the past years, and it made him feel good.

He wished he could’ve been more helpful, but he was sure he had given his best.

_When the world turns his back on you, you go ahead and turn your back on it._

He thought about Sho, and about how he had burst out laughing when he had heard those words.

Aiba was never going to turn his back on the world, and Sho knew it well. But the mere fact of hearing that had made him feel more confident. Not the words, but the fact that Sho had told them.

He fell asleep, satisfied.

It was a good feeling, for once, helping and not being the one needing help.

 

~

 

“Good morning.” Aiba told Jun with a smile when he first saw him on the door.

He looked annoyed, and squinted when he heard the elder’s voice, bringing a hand to his head.

“Good morning.” he grunted, collapsing on one of the chairs around the kitchen table.

“I’ve made breakfast, are you hungry?” Aiba asked, cheerfully.

Jun nodded slowly, taking a good hold of his head.

The kitchen was silent for a few minutes, until the younger decided to talk.

“Aiba-kun?”

“Yes?”

“The conversation we’ve had last night...”

“Yes?”

“Never happened.”

Aiba stopped for a moment. He looked Jun in the eyes, raising his eyebrow.

Old Jun was back, but he didn’t care much about it.

He just needed to know that, deep down, there was a part of him willing to open up to others.

It was enough having seen it once, he felt reassured as of their friendship, somehow.

And, if he ever wanted to see it again, he would’ve bought him a few drinks.

He laughed at the thought, and the other glared at him, like he was used to.

“What are you laughing about?” he asked, irritated.

“Nothing, Jun-chan. My mouth is sealed, don’t worry.” he laughed again at Jun’s exasperated expression.

Same, old Jun.

All in all, Aiba liked him very much anyway.


End file.
